Apparatus for and method of conditioning textile fibers



E. HURST May 23, 1950 2,509,147 APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF CONDITIONING TEXTILE FIBERS Filed Feb. 15, 1946 Tii+-1 Patented May 23, 1950 A' AR Ts FOR, A D Mrr'rt nn F CONDITIONING TEXTILE FIBERS Edwa d Hurst. West Newton. Mass assignor to B. F. Perki s R7. Son. 11 0.. Holyoke, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application February 15, 1946, Serial No. 647,749

7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for and methods of conditioning textile fibers.

The principal objects of the invention are directed to novel apparatus for and methods of conditioning textile fibers of all kinds by breaking up foreign substances therein for the removal thereof. While reference will hereinafter be made to an mal fibers. such as wool fibers, it will be understood that the same is for pur oses of disclosure and that the novel features of the invention are adapted for use with fibers in general and at various stages in the processing thereof such as subsequent to a carding operation, between first and second carding or otherwise all as may be desired.

It is well known that wool fibers contain foreign matter or bodies which must be removed or separated from the fibers for the desired subsequent processing of the fibers.

Such foreign substances take many forms such as vegetable particles consisting of burrs, seeds, leaves, stalks, small twigs, and pieces of wood, manure, dirt and the like which are usually elongated bodies. The bodies are considerab y larger in size than the fibers wh ch are ordinarily in the neighborhood of one thousandth of an inch in diameter. These foreign bodies have an inherent tendency to cling to the scales or serrations of the fibers, are usually disposed in o position to the fibers and are entangled therewith to large extent.

It has been known to pass a th n web of fiber through the bite of smooth coacting pressure rolls in an attempt to remove foreign substances or to facilitate the removal thereof but the results, however, have not been satisfactory for many reasons. More particularly the forei n particles are crushed and flattened out by these rolls so as to tend to adhere more securely to the fibers and make removal difiicult if not impossible while the fibers themselves are broken and otherwise injured by the pressure employed.

According to the novel features of the inventions hereof, the foreign bodies are subjected to comminuting and pulverizing action, so that the particles are readily and easily released by the fibers. This is accomplished in a broad way by passing the fibers in the form of a sliver through successive pairs of coacting drawing rolls and then through successive pairs of extender rolls.

By passing the sliver through the drawing rolls it is progressively flattened and attenuated or drawn out to form a relatively thin Web. By.

the drawing action the fibers are elongated from their natural more or less kinked condition and brought into parallelism which action tends to bring the particles or bodies of foreign matter which are usually elongated into parallelism with the fibers. That is the foreign substances which are ordinarily elongated bodies are displaced from their haphazard positions into substantial parallelism relative to the fibers for the action of the first extender rolls.

These extender rolls in a general way are provided with surfaces formed with axially or longitudinally extending coacting alternate teeth and grooves arranged and adapted for a rolling and sliding action. As the web passes therebetween the teeth act on the foreign bodies in such a way as to divide them into shorter lengths by a tensioning and sliding action. The said teethv are arranged and adapted to act on the foreign bodies with this sliding and rolling action so that said bodies are not only divided but there may be some pulverizing action as well, all without injury to the fibers. the action of coacting smooth surfaced pressure rolls which press on the foreign bodies to crush and flatten them as well as press on the fibers to injure them.

From the last pair of drawing rolls to the first extender rolls there may be a drawing action for further bringing the foreign bodies into parallelism with the fibers and finally and subsequent to the first extender the divided portions of the foreign bodies are divided transversely or split longitudinally by the second extender rolls as the web passes therethrough. These rolls have sur faces formed with longitudinally spaced circumferentially extending alternate coacting teeth and grooves. The thin web of fibers including the shorter foreign bodies passes between these extender rolls the teeth of which are adapted to act on the foreign bodies with a sliding or splitting actlon for a lengthwise separation thereof without injury to the fibers. There may be provisions for a drawing action between the first and This is to be distinguished from or other means thereby providing fiber which is uniform in all important characteristics and adapted for oiling and other subsequent operations.

With the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of my invention as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in theclaims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are plan and side elevational views respectively of conditioning apparatus embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a partial transverse sectional elevational view at an enlarged scale through adjacent portions of the first extender rolls; and

Fig. 4 is a partial longitudinal sectional view at an enlarged scale through adjacent portions of the second extender rolls.

Referring now to the drawings more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

A base is provided which may be formed from side members 2 which are secured together in spaced relation by transverse members 4. Brackets 5 are disposed in transversely spaced relation at opposite sides of the base at one end thereof to which they are secured in any suitable manner. Said brackets 6 are provided with openings 1 for the shafts of the draft rolls as shown.

Bearings 8 are secured to opposite sides of the base at the opposite end thereof by any suitable means and spaced rods it having their lower ends secured to the base extend upwardly there-- from.

Rods 12 which are arranged in pairs have their lower ends secured to flanges 9 of the brackets 6 and extend upwardly with their upper ends secured in flanges M of the said brackets. Lower bearings IS on said rods l2 rest on flanges 9 of the brackets 8 and upper bearings it are movable up and down on said rods.

Upper and lower draft or drawing rolls such as forming first, intermediate and third pairs thereof have shafts 2i and 23 respectively at opposite ends thereof which are journalled in the bearings 16 and I 8 respectively.

Springs 24 on the rods i2 above the upper bearings l8 urge the bearings downwardly so as to exert yielding pressure to the rolls 2c of the pairs thereof. Stops 26 which may be in the form of cap screws or the like in threaded engagement with the flanges E4 of the brackets S are adapted for up and down adjustment and to be engaged by the upper bearings It so to limit upward movements thereof.

Bars 39 are movable on each pair of rods iii and have bearings 32 and 341 fixed to the undersides thereof in any suitable manner.

Upper and lower first extender rolls such as 38 have shafts 31 and 39 at opposite ends thereof which are journalled in the bearing 32 and the bearings 8 therebelow. These rolls constitute what may be called a first extender.

Upper and lower rolls such as '43 have shafts 4| and 43 at opposite ends thereof which are journalled in the bearings 34 and the bearings 8 therebelow. These rolls constitute what may be called a second extender.

Springs 44 on the upper ends of rods if: disposed between thrust washers 4B and the ends of the bar with nuts 48 in threaded engagement with the rods provide means for exerting yielding pressure whereby the extender rolls of the pairs thereof may coact with the desired yielding pressure. However any other pressure means desired may be employed.

The drawing rolls of each pair thereof are operatively connected for simultaneou rotation by interengaging gears 50 which are secured to the shafts 2! and 23 thereof while the rolls of the extenders are similarly connected by gears 52 and 54.

Anyone ofthe shafts described may be the driving shaft of the apparatus but for purposes of disclosure it will be assumed that the shaft 43 is the main drive shaft. Said shaft 43 may be operatively connected to any suitable source of power.

Intermeshing gears 60 and 62 are fixed on shafts 43 and 31 whereby the upper one of the extender rolls 36 is driven. Gears 64 and B6 are fixed on the shaft 3'! and on the shaft 23 of the lower draft roll 20 of the third pair thereof whereby said shaft 23 is driven. Gears 68 and H! are fixed to this shaft 23 and to shaft 21 of the upper roll 20 of the intermediate pair thereof. Gears i2 and 14 are fixed to said shaft 2| and to shaft 23 of the lower roll 20 of the first pair thereof.

The gearing may be varied within wide limits the foregoing being intended to operate the rolls of the pairs thereof simultaneously while the draft rolls of the intermediate pair are driven at greater peripheral speed than those of the first pair, those of the third pair at a greater peripheral speed than those of the intermediate pair and those of the first extender at a greater speed than those of the third pair of draft rolls.

With the rolls in rotation a sliver of fibers is passed into and through rolls 20 of the first pair thereof and through the successive pairs of rolls. The action between the pairs of draft rolls and between the third pair thereof and the first extender is such as to draw and form the sliver into a thin web. The drawing action is intended to Q straighten out or elongate the fibers from their somewhat kinky condition and bring the foreign bodies into parallelism with the fibers. That is the drawing displaces or orients the foreign bodies from their haphazard relationship into a more definite parallelism relative to the fibers preparatory to the action of the extenders.

The drawing or draft between the pairs of rolls may be varied from the first pair of draft rolls to the first extender and the draft between adjacent pairs of rolls may be similar or different all. as

may be desired. As an example, the draft from are shown at an enlarged scale in Fig. 3 and will.

preferably be approximately of the formation shown. As the fibers and the foreign bodies pass into and through or between the teeth which coact with a rolling and sliding action the bodies are subjected to tension more particularly by being engaged between adjacent sides of adjacent" teeth, so as to stretch or elongate them which re-; sults in breaking the objects into relatively shorter lengths as indicated by 82. The fibers being smaller than the foreign bodies and because of their inherent ability to elongate or stretch they pass through the rolls 36 without being acted upon by the teeth of the rolls, while the foreign bodies are divided into very short lengths thereby to facilitate the ready and easy removal thereof from the fibers. The teeth 80 are relatively small as for instance of a circular pitch of about onesixteenth'of an inch it being desired that the foreign bodies be divided into lengths measuring but small fractions of an inch, say /84" or thereabouts.

Longitudinally spaced teeth 99 of the extender rolls 40 are shown at an enlarged scale in Fig. 4 and will preferably be approximately of the formation shown. As the fibers and the foreign bodies pass into and through or between the teeth 90 they are engaged more particularly between adjacent sides of adjacent teeth which coact in a sliding and rolling manner so as to divide or separate the particles of the bodies lengthwise. To divide the particles of the bodies into small pieces which is desirable for the ready and easy removal thereof from the fiber the teeth 90 are relatively small and may be of a longitudinal pitch equal to about one-sixteenth of an inch or thereabouts.

The nuts 48 may be adjusted to obtain the desired pressure of the extender rolls for the most eflicient operation thereof.

Thus by first orienting the foreign objects into parallelism with the fibers, dividing them into shorter lengths and then in dividing them lengthwise in combination with what pulverizing action the extender rolls are capable of the foreign objects are reduced greatly so as to be readily and easily releasable from the fibers. Relatively small particles of the foreign bodies produced by the action of the extenders may be released in the apparatus but such particles as are carried by the web will be very readily removed, subsequent to the final extender action, by any suitable means.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely as being illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications and variations as fall within the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appended claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for conditioning elongated wool fibers by the removal of foreign bodies dispersed therein comprising in combination, successive pairs of rotatable draft rolls for receiving an elongated sliver of elongated fibers having separate foreign bodies dispersed therein and drawing the same in a certain direction into a web to position the fibers in substantial parallelism and the said bodies in parallelism therewith, a first pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and dividing said foreign bodies into shorter lengths and transversely to said fibers and certain direction, a second pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and splitting said shorter lengths offoreignbodies in substantial parallelism with fibers and said certain direction, and operative connections between said pairs of rolls and the rolls of said pairs to rotate them in timed relation- 2. Apparatus for conditioning elongated wool fibers by the removal of foreign bodies dispersed therein comprising in combination, successive pairs of rotatable draft rolls for receiving an elongated sliver of elongated fibers having separate foreign bodies dispersed therein and drawing the same in a certain direction into a web to position the fibers in substantial parallelism and the said bodies in parallelism therewith, a first pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and dividing said foreign bodies into shorter lengths and-transversely to said fibers and certain direction, a second pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and splitting said shorter lengths of foreign bodies in substantial parallelism with fibers and said certain direction, and operative connections between said pairs of rolls and the rolls of said pairs to rotate them in timed relation, said pairs of draft rolls being spaced apart and said pairs of extender rolls being spaced apart and from said draft rolls.

3. Apparatus for conditioning elongated wool fibers by the removal of foreign bodies dispersed therein comprising in combination, successive pairs of rotatable draft rolls for receiving an elongated sliver of elongated fibers having separate foreign bodies dispersed therein and drawing the same in a certain direction into a web to position the fibers in substantial parallelism and the said bodies in parallelism therewith, a first pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and dividing said foreign bodies into shorter lengths and transversely to said fibers and certain direction, a second pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and splitting said shorter lengths of foreign bodies in substantial parallelism with fibers and said certain direction, and operative connections between said pairs of rolls and the rollsof said pairs to rotate them in'timed relation, said pairs of draft rolls being spaced apart and said pairs of extender rolls being spaced apart and from said draft rolls, said first extender rolls having peripheral surfaces formed by circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending alternate teeth and grooves and said second extender rolls having surfaces formed by longitudinally spaced circumferentially extending alternate teeth and grooves, the grooves and teeth of coacting rolls adapted to engage therebetween the foreign bodies and the divisions thereof and act thereon with a sliding action.

4. Apparatus for conditioning elongated wool fibers by the removal of foreign bodies dispersed therein comprising in combination, successive pairs of rotatable draft rolls for receiving an elongated sliver of elongated fibers having separate foreign bodies dispersed therein and drawing the same in a certain direction into a web to position the fibers in substantial parallelism and the said bodies in parallelism therewith, a first pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and dividing said foreign bodies into shorter lengths and transversely to said fibers and certain direction, a second pair of coacting extender rolls for receiving and moving said web in said certain direction and splitting said shorter lengths or foreign bodies in substantial parallelism with fibers and said certain direction, and operative connections between said pairs of rolls and the rolls of said pairs to rotate them in timed relation, said pairs of draft rolls being spaced apart and said pairs of extender rolls being spaced apart and from said draft rolls, said first extender rolls having peripheral surfaces formed by circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending alternate teeth and grooves and said second extender rolls having surfaces formed by longitudinally spaced circumierentially extending alternate teeth and grooves, the grooves and teeth of coacting rolls adapted to engage therebetween the foreign bodies and the divisions thereof and act thereon with a sliding action, and means to impart yield! ing pressure to the extender rolls of the pairs thereof.

5. A continuous method of conditioning elongated wool fibers to facilitate the removal therefrom of separate foreign bodies therein which consists in, drawing fibers in the form of a sliver into the form of a web to position the fibers in substantial parallelism and positioning the bodies in parallelism therewith, subjecting the web to the action of means to divide the bodies into shorter lengths and transversely to said fibers and finally in subjecting said web to the action of means to split the horter lengths of bodies in substantial parallelism with the fibers.

6. A continuous method of conditioning elongated wool fibers to facilitate the removal therefrom of separate foreign bodies therein which consists in, drawing fibers in the form of a sliver into the form of a web and positioning the fibers in substantial parallelism and positioning the bodies in parallelism therewith, subjecting the web to the action of means to further draw said web and to divide the bodies into shorter lengths and transversely to said fibers and finally in subjecting said web to the action of means to split the shorter lengths of bodies in substantial parallelism with the fibers.

'7. A continuous method of conditioning elongated wool fibers to facilitate the removal therefrom of separate foreign bodie therein which consists in, drawing fibers in the form of a sliver into the form of a web and positioning the fibers in substantial parallelism and positioning the bodies in parallelism therewith, subjecting the web to the action of means to further draw said web and divide the bodie into shorter lengths and transversely to said fibers and finally in subjecting said web to the action of means to further draw said web and split the shorter lengths of bodies in substantial parallelism with the fibers.

EDWARD HURST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 412,531 Nouvelet Oct. 8, 1889 701,183 Ellis May 27, 1902 2,420,034 Fairbairn May 6, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3,713 Great Britain of 1887 

